. Birds of Britain . This extremecombativeness makes the species appear scarcer than isreally the case, as each pair will claim suzerain rights overa comparatively large space. The nest is built low downin some bush or hedgerow, on the ground in a bank, in afurze bush or on a heath, and is formed entirely of grassand bents, with a little mud for the foundation, but welllined with finer bents; it is rather larger in diameter, andshallower, than that of the Thrush. The eggs, four to sixin number, have a pale blue ground colour, thickly mottledwith reddish markings, sometimes uniformly distribute
. Birds of Britain . This extremecombativeness makes the species appear scarcer than isreally the case, as each pair will claim suzerain rights overa comparatively large space. The nest is built low downin some bush or hedgerow, on the ground in a bank, in afurze bush or on a heath, and is formed entirely of grassand bents, with a little mud for the foundation, but welllined with finer bents; it is rather larger in diameter, andshallower, than that of the Thrush. The eggs, four to sixin number, have a pale blue ground colour, thickly mottledwith reddish markings, sometimes uniformly distributedover its surface, at others confined to broader blotchesforming a ring round its larger end, or again, in some cases^the markings may be entirely absent. The young, likethose of most Thrushes, are fed almost entirely on earth-worms, though insects are also swallowed; two or threebroods are reared in the season, and as summer advances i6 BLACKBIRD Tardus morula Adult male (centre^. Adult female (right). Young (lefti. The Blackbird and fruit ripens, visits are paid to the neighbouring orchardsand gardens, the spoils from which form, during the season,a very large proportion of their diet, so there is no doubtthat the gardeners complaints of them are only too welljustified. With the advent of the migration season inSeptember and October large numbers leave our shores,only, we fear, to be caught and eaten by our neighboursacross the Channel, where members of the Thrush familyare considered great delicacies. Many however remain,spending the winter in thick hedgerows, shrubberies, andwoods, or anywhere in fact where there is a bush highenough to shelter them. Furze - covered commons arefavourite localities, as are also the open heather-coveredtops of low hills. Our friends, however, do not all follow the laws of migra-tion ; some do not leave the neighbourhood of their home,unless driven away by stronger rivals. And so it happensthat year by year, as winter relaxes its grasp, we can
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirdsgreatbritain
